Collapsible freight container with gates

Abstract

A freight container of the flatrack type is designed to have an end wall structure 22 plus inboard from the end wall structure a gate 23 which is pivotally or collapsibly mounted thereon. The gate 23 includes a load bearing post having a freight container-securing fitment 26 of conventional type, these fitments 26 being positioned at the standard positions for such fitments in a standard freight container but the platform 21 being extended beyond these positions to carry additional load. Diagonal bracing 29 and diagonal top links 37 triangulate and rigidify the gate structure against longitudinal, lateral and vertical forces in both tension and compression.

I claim: 
     
       1. A platform based freight container comprising a rectangular platform having two end portions and four corner portions; an end structure at each of said end portions secured upright with respect to the platform in an in-use condition to define a freight-carrying space and released from the upright, in-use condition to be stowed relative to the platform in a stowed condition;   the end structure defining corner articulation means;   a pair of gates mounted in association with the end structure at said articulation means for deployment in an in-use condition in which the gates extend along the platform from the corner portions thereof;   each gate having at least one container-securing fitment at a position spaced inboard from the end of, and above the platform in said in-use condition;   and each gate being releasable from the in-use condition to a stowage condition in which they are contiguous with the end structure in its stowed condition.   
     
     
       2. A freight container according to claim 1 wherein the articulation means comprise upright pivots such that the gates are pivotally mounted about an upright axis with respect to the end structure in the in-use condition. 
     
     
       3. A container according to claim 2 wherein at least one gate is pivoted inwardly with respect to the platform to lie parallel to and within the end structure in the stowage condition. 
     
     
       4. A container according to claim 2 wherein at least one gate is pivoted outwardly with respect to the platform to lie parallel to and outside the end structure in the stowage condition. 
     
     
       5. A container according to claim 1 wherein the end structure is pivotally mounted to the end of the platform for movement to a stowed condition overlying the end of the platform. 
     
     
       6. A container according to claim 5 wherein further container-securing fitments are provided on the end structure at other positions spaced inboard from the end of the platform in the stowed condition of the end structure. 
     
     
       7. A container according to claim 1 wherein each gate is locked to the platform at a position directly below the container-securing fitment in the in-use condition. 
     
     
       8. A container according to claim 7 wherein each gate is locked by a manually operated toggle linkage. 
     
     
       9. A container according to claim 1 wherein said articulation means is provided at the foot of the end structure and the gates include a diagonal brace extending from said articulation means to said container-securing fitment. 
     
     
       10. A container according to claim 1 wherein the articulation means comprise horizontal pivots such that the gates are collapsible towards the end structure. 
     
     
       11. A container according to claim 10 wherein said articulation means is provided at the foot of the end structure and the gates include a diagonal brace extending from said articulation means to said container-securing fitment, and wherein the diagonal brace is releasable for collapsing of the gates. 
     
     
       12. A container according to claim 1 wherein a generally horizontal diagonal link is provided between the container securing fitment of each gate and a central portion of the end structure spaced from the nearest corner portion. 
     
     
       13. A container according to claim 12 wherein the diagonal link is removable. 
     
     
       14. A container according to claim 12 wherein the diagonal link is releasable but captive to its gate. 
     
     
       15. A container according to claim 12 wherein the diagonal link is captive to said central portion of the end structure at a universal joint and is slidably connected relative to its gate.